It was a cold yet moist laiden day at the beach, the sound of waves crashing against the ocean floor only to be overwhelmed by crackling sounds as the large bonfire puffed thick black smoke into the vast darkness. Warmth began to crawl its way closer, as burning embers and hot charcoal grew brighter. A fusion of smells from a combination of burnt wood, half dried seaweed and the beachy salty maritime were reminiscent from the last time I tried the Laphy 10.

This time though, the opportunity was a dram with an added two years to its belt – travel retail had just introduced the Laphroaig 12 and that meant only one thing! Voila!

I’ve always felt ex-bourbon casks have had a successful, symbiotic relationship with Islay whiskies, with both the Laphroaig 10 and the Ardbeg 10 being great examples. A sherry cask might add layers but to me it’s the ex-bourbon casks, more so on its own, that really bodes well with the Islays, than with any other scotch genre. The Laphy 12 does not stray away either, aged wholly in ex-bourbon casks giving the hope that this too is possibly a match made in heaven.

ABV : 46%

Eye : Pale Gold | Natural Colouring | Non Chill Filtered

Nose : Vanilla infused with hints of orange zest, char, burnt embers and brine. There are tropical fruits, smoked melons, green apples, leather and moist butts, with spices such as cloves, white pepper, seaweed and herbal nuances.

Taste : Sweet notes of vanilla and honey, earthy with crisp maritime notes, smoke and char. Woody cardboard, apples and bay leaves; brine with hints of cinnamon, cloves, pepper, burnt paper, menthol and brine.

Finish : Medium | Woody yet spicy, vanilla with hints of char and brine.

First impressions, the pale gold screamed of being all natural, in contrast to the 10 which was one of my biggest pet peeves. Second impressions, the welcoming 46% abv meant more bang for buck, more flavour with every gulp, a boot to the standard 40%. It doesn’t stop there though – good breadth, favourable depth and decent complexity, and very much aligned to the Laphroaig ethos.

An aspect however that was less pronounced was the maritime influence; more muted than the standard 10, possibly the added years in the wood had turned down the brine by a notch or two.

It didn’t change my view though, this one was still very much desirable and had me smacking my moustache! At AUD $109, it doesn’t empty the cash registers, lives up to its name and lends an experience that has you coughing up char, and chewing cigarette butts. You will surely take an affinity to this one if you love the Laphy 10! Be sure to grab one should you stumble across this expression, you will not regret!

Slainte!